The trend for total dwelling approvals fell marginally (-0.3%) in April 2005.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for total dwelling units approved rose 1.8%, to 12,559, in April 2005.

PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSES

The trend estimate of private sector house approvals was relatively flat for the fifth consecutive month in April 2005 (-0.1%).

The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector houses approved rose 0.2%, to 8,542, in April 2005.

PRIVATE SECTOR OTHER DWELLING UNITS

The trend estimate of private sector other dwellings approved was relatively flat (+0.2%) in April 2005.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector other dwellings approved rose 9.6%, to 3,793, in April 2005. This follows a fall of 21.2% in March.

VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVED

The seasonally adjusted estimate of the value of total building approved fell 0.8%, to $4,506.7m, in April 2005. The value of new residential building approved fell 4.1%, to $2,290.4m, while the value of alterations and additions rose 1.5%, to $431.8m.

NOTES

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

Time series spreadsheets will be released in Excel format for the first time with the June 2005 issue of this publication on 3 August 2005. A concordance between the current Lotus 1,2,3 spreadsheets and the proposed Excel spreadsheets is available in Information Paper: Changes to Ausstats Tables for Building Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0.55.001).

REVISIONS THIS MONTH

Revisions have been made to total dwelling units in this issue:

2003-04

2004-05

TOTAL

New South Wales

97

78

175

Victoria

-

-

-

Queensland

20

27

47

South Australia

3

-106

-103

Western Australia

2

12

14

Tasmania

-

-

-

Northern Territory

-

-

-

Australian Capital Territory

-

-24

-24

TOTAL

122

-13

109

DATA NOTES

Estimates have been included in this issue for the municipalities of Campbelltown and Hornsby in New South Wales which were unable to report all building work approved in their municipalities this month.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or David Finlay on Adelaide (08) 8237 7431.

VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVED

NEW RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate of the value of new residential building is showing falls for the past three months after three months of rises. The trend fell 0.9% in April 2005.

ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate of the value of alterations and additions to residential building was flat in April 2005, after five months of growth.

NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate of the value of non-residential building is now showing four months of growth, rising 3.8% in April 2005.

DWELLINGS APPROVED

TOTAL DWELLING UNITS

For the fifth consecutive month the trend estimate for total dwelling units approved was relatively flat. This follows a general decline starting in October 2003.

PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSES

The trend estimate for private sector houses approved was relatively flat for the fifth consecutive month.

PRIVATE SECTOR OTHER DWELLINGS

The trend estimate for private sector other dwellings approved has grown for the past five months, with the rate of growth slowing in recent months. The trend rose 0.2% in April 2005.

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED STATES AND TERRITORIES

SUMMARY COMMENTS

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved was relatively flat (-0.3%) in April 2005. The trend fell in Queensland (-3.7%), Tasmania (-3.3%), Northern Territory (-7.4%) and Australian Capital Territory (-10.3%), but rose in all the other states.

The trend estimate for private sector houses approved was relatively flat in April 2005. The trend fell in New South Wales (-0.6%), Queensland (-1.2%) and Western Australia (-0.8%), but rose in Victoria (+0.5%) and South Australia (+0.3%).

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

Original

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1,424

2,626

1,766

625

1,435

177

43

130

8,226

Total dwelling units (no.)

2,922

3,487

2,508

795

2,071

195

52

136

12,166

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-0.7

6.4

-11.8

-12.2

-6.8

-8.3

10.3

25.0

-3.1

Total dwelling units (%)

5.6

3.7

-9.8

-24.9

7.0

-10.6

-29.7

-11.7

-1.5

Seasonally Adjusted

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1,495

2,513

1,954

730

1,476

na

na

na

8,542

Total dwelling units (no.)

3,091

3,374

2,696

900

2,091

222

na

na

12,559

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-2.3

3.9

6.7

12.5

-16.3

na

na

na

0.2

Total dwelling units (%)

12.2

1.8

3.7

-9.6

-6.0

9.4

na

na

1.8

Trend

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1,534

2,461

1,867

671

1,658

na

na

na

8,527

Total dwelling units (no.)

3,211

3,249

2,643

890

2,166

208

63

175

12,606

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-0.6

0.5

-1.2

0.3

-0.8

na

na

na

-0.1

Total dwelling units (%)

0.2

0.9

-3.7

2.3

1.9

-3.3

-7.4

-10.3

-0.3

na not available

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED STATE TRENDS

NEW SOUTH WALES

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in New South Wales rose for the sixth consecutive month, with growth slowing in recent months. The trend for private sector houses is now showing consecutive monthly falls starting in September 2003.

VICTORIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approvedin Victoria rose 0.9% in the latest month, the third consecutive rise. The trend for private sector houses is showing rises for the past four months.

QUEENSLAND

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in Queensland is showing a general decline over the last nineteen months. The trend for private sector houses has also fallen over the last seventeen months.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in South Australia shows rises for the past five months. The trend for private sector houses is now relatively flat.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in Western Australia shows rises for the past six months after five months of decline. The trend for private sector houses now shows falls for the past two months after six months of growth.